Significant Risk for Severe Storms Across Alabama Today [VIDEO]

Severe weather is likely in West Alabama this afternoon and evening; some storms could develop as early as 6 p.m. tonight.A line of strong storms will move across the state today, and all modes of severe weather will be possible.

NWS Birmingham

The southernmost portions of Pickens and Tuscaloosa Counties have been placed in a 'Significant' risk area along with much of Bibb County and all of Sumter, Greene, Hale, and Perry Counties. This risk area could see strong tornadoes, damaging winds of up to 70 mph, and golf ball size hail. The National Weather Service in Birmingham currently believes that this area is at the highest risk for strong tornadoes.

The rest of Tuscaloosa, Pickens, and Bibb are under an 'Elevated' threat area as are Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, and Marion Counties; tornadoes, damaging winds of up to 70 mph, and golf ball size hail are all possible with this severe weather threat.

Storms are expected to impact West Alabama around 6 p.m. tonight and move west across the state; the NWS believes our window for severe weather will last until about 11 p.m.

In addition to the severe weather threat, these storms will also bring heavy rainfall to our area. We could see as much as 2 inches of rain before Wednesday afternoon, and as such, the NWS in Birmingham has issued a FLASH FLOOD WATCH in effect from this afternoon through Wednesday afternoon. The watch is as follows:

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...EAST
CENTRAL ALABAMA...NORTHEAST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND
WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN
CENTRAL ALABAMA...AUTAUGA...BIBB...BLOUNT...CHILTON...COOSA...
DALLAS...ELMORE...JEFFERSON...LOWNDES...MONTGOMERY...PERRY...
SHELBY...ST. CLAIR...TALLADEGA AND WALKER. IN EAST CENTRAL
ALABAMA...CALHOUN...CHAMBERS...CLAY...CLEBURNE...LEE...MACON...
RANDOLPH AND TALLAPOOSA. IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...CHEROKEE AND
ETOWAH. IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...MARION AND WINSTON. IN WEST
CENTRAL ALABAMA...FAYETTE...GREENE...HALE...LAMAR...MARENGO...
PICKENS...SUMTER AND TUSCALOOSA.
* FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
* SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
WEDNESDAY WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1-2 INCHES AND ISOLATED
HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.
* SATURATED SOILS FROM RAINFALL YESTERDAY ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF AREA ROADWAYS...LOW LYING
AREAS...AND URBAN SMALL STREAMS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.